INDIA HOUSE AIMS TO CELEBRATE the many strengths India has historically been known for: tolerance, diversity, democratic values, hard work, and innovation. We envision a well-informed, highly engaged diaspora that can serve as a powerful voice for India—both in how it is represented to the rest of the world, and in supporting an India that lives up to its constitutional values and promise as a democratic beacon to the world.

Assessing India's Progress

Key Metrics on the Nation's Well-Being

India’s economy has been rapidly growing, accompanied by improvements in education & health but inequality is growing considerably. This is the UNDP's Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index which combines per-capita GDP, literacy rates and life expectancy across income brackets.

Civil liberties and human rights have been a particular area of concern in India in recent years, with particular impact on the rights of religious minorities and press freedoms. India’s rank has dropped from #51 in the world in 2000, to #98 by 2022. This index combines free/fair elections; freedom of association & expression; civil liberties; and executive constraints.

Since the economic reforms of the 1990s, India’s influence on the global stage has steadily grown. The Elcano Institute's Global Presence Index is the most comprehensive measure of global influence, combining economic interactions, military presence and soft power.

India's population growth and industrial development has come at a tremendous cost to its environment with respect to air pollution, water pollution, industrial toxins and loss of biodiversity. The Yale Environmental Performance Index is a multi-faceted measure of how well countries are protecting their environment.

India's perception with respect to corruption has been improving somewhat. The Corruption Perception Index has been compiled by Transparency International, considered the global leader on assessment related to corruption.

India has struggled to close the gap between men and women across all key development metrics, especially in low-income communities. The UNDP Gender Development Index measures gender inequalities in the achievement of key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, a good education, and a decent standard of living.